Is this a new Gratuities policy?

[rideev]

2 hours ago, TRLD said:

There is a reason why so many from the Pilippines and other 3rd world countries take cruise ship jobs as well as other maritime positions.

Another reason is that many of the school subjects are taught in English, so most, of not all, of the Filipinos speak English fluently.   Cruise lines love that.

[Retired-N-Happy]

3 hours ago, vjmatty said:

I’m not sure how that would work since crew have to share cabins. Do you think they put socks over the doorknob like in college dorms? 😉

An educated guess would say yes.

[TRLD]

3 hours ago, vjmatty said:

I’m not sure how that would work since crew have to share cabins. Do you think they put socks over the doorknob like in college dorms? 😉

From what my friend and his son has said you get a lot of on board relationships that pop up, but then vanish as soon as one parties contract end. Two consenting adults can ask HR for a room change and if it can be accommodated become roommates.

 

As far as shorter get togethers take any large groups with a lot of 20 and 30 year olds, they will find a way.

[TRLD]

4 hours ago, SCX22 said:

I do think that the pandemic put things into perspective for some crew.  Many never returned to the crew life or moved to greener pastures on a different line or shifted careers altogether.  Many don’t want the cruise ship life, but want to work for logistics companies’ cargo ships as the work is more laid back.  

 

According to one Filipino waiter, Magsaysay Recruitment Agency (Princess’ and Holland America’s recruitment agency in the Philippines) has had trouble finding applicants/filling positions post pandemic.  Princess has had to look elsewhere for ship labor.  It’s noticeable on Princess ships because the crew is more international.  

 

Everything is relative, but I do think that comparing cruise ship work to agriculture and saying that it’s arduous is a slap in the face to the crew.  
 

Our statements in the previous posts show our privilege as cruisers.

A slap in the face. Some of those same crew members spent portions of their childhood in some of those rice paddies. The point is that growing up in third world countries can gave them quite the incentive to work difficult jobs, especially ones that pay as well as cruise ship jobs do, because many have experienced much worse alternatives.

 

 

[Incognito1]

On 7/1/2024 at 5:59 PM, Retired-N-Happy said:

It's been reported that 75% get one of the packages, so 25% wouldn't and of course a certain % of that 25% remove their CA since they basically have said so on the boards.  I would assume it's a combination of those from countries that are not a tipping culture combined with just frugal cruisers that wish to cruise as cheap as possible.

We usually remove tips - and not because we cruise cheaply.  Don't make the assumption that those who tip personally are cheap.  I'd rather tip $500 for a cruise to people who provide excellent service than have it go to a pool where the excellent may not see a penny.  You do you, but don't try to denigrate those who choose otherwise.

[memoak]

8 minutes ago, Incognito1 said:

We usually remove tips - and not because we cruise cheaply.  Don't make the assumption that those who tip personally are cheap.  I'd rather tip $500 for a cruise to people who provide excellent service than have it go to a pool where the excellent may not see a penny.  You do you, but don't try to denigrate those who choose otherwise.

So how do you tip those you don’t see. How do you tip the servers in bars, severs in buffet, room service people etc. Do you carry lots of small bills to hand out to everyone. ?  Yes I believe you are cheap or don’t realize where tips go 

[2 cruises a year]

14 minutes ago, Incognito1 said:

We usually remove tips - and not because we cruise cheaply.  Don't make the assumption that those who tip personally are cheap.  I'd rather tip $500 for a cruise to people who provide excellent service than have it go to a pool where the excellent may not see a penny.  You do you, but don't try to denigrate those who choose otherwise.

 

4 minutes ago, memoak said:

So how do you tip those you don’t see. How do you tip the servers in bars, severs in buffet, room service people etc. Do you carry lots of small bills to hand out to everyone. ?  Yes I believe you are cheap or don’t realize where tips go 

I also believe that there is a huge amount of ego involved. Gotta be seem handing out cash.  There isn't any self satisfaction tipping using the CA method. 

Sorry if this sounds denigrateing, but that is how I feel about people that buck the system.

[vjmatty]

And here we go again……I’m guessing 3 more pages till we tip over on this tipping thread

[Mississippian]

35 minutes ago, memoak said:

So how do you tip those you don’t see. How do you tip the servers in bars, severs in buffet, room service people etc. Do you carry lots of small bills to hand out to everyone. ?  Yes I believe you are cheap or don’t realize where tips go 

Servers in bars are tipped from the gratuities added into the FAS or drink packages or individual drink prices. As for the rest, I agree with you.

[rideev]

44 minutes ago, 2 cruises a year said:

Sorry if this sounds denigrateing, but that is how I feel about people that buck the system

Actually, this is how you feel about people that see something differently than you.

[memoak]

1 hour ago, Mississippian said:

Servers in bars are tipped from the gratuities added into the FAS or drink packages or individual drink prices. As for the rest, I agree with you.

You have no idea where the 18% tip goes on bar charges 

[Retired-N-Happy]

2 hours ago, Incognito1 said:

We usually remove tips - and not because we cruise cheaply.  Don't make the assumption that those who tip personally are cheap.  I'd rather tip $500 for a cruise to people who provide excellent service than have it go to a pool where the excellent may not see a penny.  You do you, but don't try to denigrate those who choose otherwise.

If I were to type what I truly feel about you and the others that remove tips, I would be put on the bench for awhile.  And personally, you're not worth it.

[TRLD]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

You have no idea where the 18% tip goes on bar charges 

My understanding, which is similar to what the Princess faq states, both the CA and the drink/food service charges go into the the overall pool. 

[caribill]

On 5/28/2024 at 11:36 PM, latebloomer56 said:

This sounds odd? All monies pooled and doled out as corporate choses? Maybe the room steward who took care of us doesn't get what is recommended we pay?

 

Tips are pooled among the fleet, not just the ship you are on. When your daily contribution is divided by the number of eligible personnel on all the ships, you may be directly contributing only a penny or two each day to your cabin steward. What he/she actually gets depends on how many much people on all the ships are contributing.

[latebloomer56]

3 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Tips are pooled among the fleet, not just the ship you are on. When your daily contribution is divided by the number of eligible personnel on all the ships, you may be directly contributing only a penny or two each day to your cabin steward. What he/she actually gets depends on how many much people on all the ships are contributing.

Maybe you know I'll ask again on here. First we don't remove the tip and pay before we sail (love this option). If we have wonderful wait staff and cabin steward and tip them cash do they get to keep this extra? Or do they need to turn it in? I always put the cabin number on the envelope.

[vjmatty]

15 minutes ago, latebloomer56 said:

Maybe you know I'll ask again on here. First we don't remove the tip and pay before we sail (love this option). If we have wonderful wait staff and cabin steward and tip them cash do they get to keep this extra? Or do they need to turn it in? I always put the cabin number on the envelope.

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of clarity on this question because different crew members have different answers, at least as reported here on CC. The best you can do if you want to give an extra cash tip beyond auto-grats or crew appreciation or whatever godforsaken euphemism the industry wants to call it today is give the cash directly to the crew member and hope for the best 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

And please, whatever you do, don’t brag about how much extra cash you shower onto each individual crew member, unless people on here ask for advice on an actual dollar or euro or pound sterling amount. It’s tacky and eye roll inducing. 

[TRLD]

2 hours ago, latebloomer56 said:

Maybe you know I'll ask again on here. First we don't remove the tip and pay before we sail (love this option). If we have wonderful wait staff and cabin steward and tip them cash do they get to keep this extra? Or do they need to turn it in? I always put the cabin number on the envelope.

Prior to shutdown the policy was that  if someone removed CA and handed cash they had to turn it in. If CA was left in place then they could keep it.  I have seen copies of older contracts that have stated that. You can find a couple online if you do a search.

 

I have not seen a copy of the current contract, but my understanding is that it has changed. With a large number of packages sold, with fewer CAs getting removed, the rules have loosened and they may now get to keep it, even if CA is removed. 

 

 

 

[voljeep]

13 hours ago, vjmatty said:

And here we go again……I’m guessing 3 more pages till we tip over on this tipping thread

4 if I'm involved, huh?😉🥂🦄🤑

[memoak]

25 minutes ago, voljeep said:

4 if I'm involved, huh?😉🥂🦄🤑

No more like 14

[latebloomer56]

40 minutes ago, TRLD said:

Prior to shutdown the policy was that  if someone removed CA and handed cash they had to turn it in. If CA was left in place then they could keep it.  I have seen copies of older contracts that have stated that. You can find a couple online if you do a search.

 

I have not seen a copy of the current contract, but my understanding is that it has changed. With a large number of packages sold, with fewer CAs getting removed, the rules have loosened and they may now get to keep it, even if CA is removed. 

 

 

 

That's good news I like giving some folks a little extra and less work for me not having to hunt up phone cards good for where we travel 😊.

[latebloomer56]

2 hours ago, vjmatty said:

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of clarity on this question because different crew members have different answers, at least as reported here on CC. The best you can do if you want to give an extra cash tip beyond auto-grats or crew appreciation or whatever godforsaken euphemism the industry wants to call it today is give the cash directly to the crew member and hope for the best 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

And please, whatever you do, don’t brag about how much extra cash you shower onto each individual crew member, unless people on here ask for advice on an actual dollar or euro or pound sterling amount. It’s tacky and eye roll inducing. 

Never do because $ amount depends on service and person. Besides nobody's business how much cash I have in the thank you cards.

[vjmatty]

1 hour ago, latebloomer56 said:

Never do because $ amount depends on service and person. Besides nobody's business how much cash I have in the thank you cards.

Yes it absolutely depends on service, which is why I can’t stand those “we always give X to our steward and Y to our waiter and blah blah blah….”

[voljeep]

16 hours ago, 2 cruises a year said:

I also believe that there is a huge amount of ego involved. Gotta be seem handing out cash.  There isn't any self satisfaction tipping using the CA method. 

Sorry if this sounds denigrateing, but that is how I feel about people that buck the system.

i can assure you could be seated next to me and never know when I have tipped in cash ... sorry

[TRLD]

4 hours ago, voljeep said:

4 if I'm involved, huh?😉🥂🦄🤑

We tipped over long ago, not to be confused with over or under tipping.

[vjmatty]

1 hour ago, TRLD said:

We tipped over long ago, not to be confused with over or under tipping.

Better to over tip than to tip over?